


A She-Ra's grief

by RandomWriting789



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Sad, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomWriting789/pseuds/RandomWriting789
Summary: ''When a She-Ra grieves, her heart is broken to a point where it cannot be mended, only sustained by bloodshed and revenge''Glimmer didn't think there'd be a situation where Adora would have to experience it, but she was sadly mistaken when she receives the news that Force Captain Catra was executed on Hordak's ordersForce Captain Catra, however had easily managed to fake her death and was already planning on defecting to the Rebellion with her friends
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 132





	A She-Ra's grief

**Author's Note:**

> Set late S2 before Shadow Weaver arrives

''Mom?'' Glimmer asked quietly as she entered the Queen's chambers ''You wanted to see me?''

Angella's eyes seemed to be fixed on the book in her hands, Glimmer didn't think she noticed her until she cleared her the throat ''Uh-Yes, Glimmer'' She turned away to wipe her face. Had she been crying? ''I wanted to ask you how the new recruit is doing''

Glimmer immediately went back on topic ''She's adjusting well to the castle, it's definitely difficult for her after living in the Horde but she's getting the hang of it!'' Glimmer tried to talk as positively as possible, hoping her mom wasn't considering going back on her decision

''Right, and her powers?'' The queen continued

''Oh, I'm pretty sure she's getting the hang of them, she can transform at will now and I'm sure if we give her some time, she'll be great with them'' Glimmer answered

The Queen was silent, she was tracing her finger over the book as if she was in deep thought

''So what's with the book?'' Glimmer asked curiously

Angella sighed ''I'm reading old legends of the warrior called She-Ra, excerpts written by queens a long time ago, I was hoping they could give us some insight into Adora's powers and how to best help her master them''

''And?'' Glimmer encouraged

''And I've found nothing'' the queen said a little too strictly, deliberately placing the book on the top shelf where most others were collecting dust.

''Oh come on, you must've found something!'' Glimmer pushed, the Queen didn't respond ''Ok, let me have a look at it'' She tried to teleport up before Angella grabbed her hand.

''You are not to read that book under any circumstances'' She said assertively

Glimmer yanked her hand away ''You said I was old enough to be a commander and get the Princess Alliance together! Why won't you at least tell me what's in that book?''

''Because it is unsafe for you or Adora to know!'' Angella shot back before realizing what she'd said, she retreated back into her chair, holding her head in her hands 

''Why isn't it safe for Adora?'' Glimmer asked, surprised

Angella sighed again, pausing for several seconds as she massaged her temples ''Under no circumstances are you to tell any of your friends about this, I'm telling you for your own safety as well as for Adora's'' 

Glimmer nodded as she took a seat, listening with apt attention

''When I looked through that book, I found the generic information from our legends. She-Ra's ability to return life to lands, heal the sick, protect the planet, it was all there'' She looked away ''But some She-Ra's were not as pleasant to read about''

Glimmer's eyes widened

''Some She-Ra's would have their negative emotions get the better of them and tragically, it would culminate in their magic 'acting out' if you will'' Angella's voice hardened ''The stories, Glimmer, they're tragic, sickening even. Those She-Ras none of them meant to do what they did, hardly any of them could recover''

''That won't happen to Adora!'' Glimmer said firmly trying to defend her friend

''I know it won't, child, but I need you both to be careful, there is no telling when such a situation could arise'' The Queen looked away

Glimmer tried to learn more ''Ok, how exactly are we supposed to be careful if you won't tell me anything more? Like, could you give me any of the stories so I know what to do or...?''

Angella sighed again ''Alright, but this is all I'm telling you and then you're going back to your room'' She commanded as a paper materialized in her hand

Glimmer jumped at the fact that her mom had actually listened for once she stared in full concentration as Angella narrated 

''A She-Ra's grief...''

* * *

**One Year and Six Months later**

''That's the last one, Bow'' Glimmer smiled triumphantly as the transport vehicle approached

Hordak had been sending Horde transports through small cracks in the whispering woods in order to get more supplies. She guessed Catra had a hand in the maneuvering and routes they were taking based on whatever they'd managed to intercept. The Alliance had split up into three teams, Adora going with Spinerella and Netossa, Bow and Glimmer going together and Mermista taking Perfuma and Frosta. They'd agreed to use their tracker pads to keep everyone up to date on any news in case they needed backup. So far, the plan was going smoothly

A small 'Ding' came from the tracker pad attached to Bow's quiver, he quickly opened it up. ''Team C is clear, no word on Team A'' he reported

''Ok, this is the last one, then we'll go see if they need backup, knowing Adora, she probably thinks she can handle it'' She rolled her eyes at her friend's inability to just ask for help.

Bow shot an arrow right into the vehicle's engine as Glimmer teleported to the door

''There's soldiers inside'' she whispered ''Wait for them to leave the cargo and go to the engine then we'll ambush them'' she mouthed to Bow as he joined her behind the car

They watched as a senior and Junior officer lazily strolled out to see what had happened.

''So as I was saying, good riddance to her'' One said out loud to the other

''Yeah, it was only a matter of time before she was taken out, at least Shadow Weaver lasted over a year, and even then, she escaped!'' One guffawed as he stopped, deciding to chat instead of fixing the engine

''So how'd she go?'' One asked a little quietly. Glimmer and Bow could barely hear him.

''Purging Chamber, it was a bloody massacre back there'' The other shuddered

''Were you there?'' He asked in amazement

''Sorta'' He shrugged ''Alot of us were there to witness for Hordak, Force Captain Scorpia took her in and shut the chamber'' He paused as he tried to prevent himself from puking ''There was a ton of screaming and blood all over the place, pretty sure Hordak said to make her suffer, but it was brutal''

''Wait, Force Captain _Scorpia?_ Weren't they close? I didn't think she had that in her''

Glimmer instinctively placed her arm around a shivering Bow. He always got like this when he heard about deaths during the war, she guessed it was from his dads. His heart would always break a little, even if it was for a person he'd never met, it was a reminder of the cold reality he was forced to live in. She continued listening in, wondering how Scorpia had the ability to do such a thing.

''Yeah so as I was saying, we'd basically witnessed enough and left to report it to Hordak before going back to the transport'' The senior officer said casually

''What about Scorpia? Did you guys see her before leaving?'' 

''Yeah, she was still holding onto that bloody mask, she asked us when the next shipments would arrive, I told her tomorrow and she left, she was alot less pleasant then usual''

Glimmer rubbed Bow's back in an effort to calm him. Who could Scorpia have done this to?

''IF YOU TWO ARE DONE TALKING ABOUT CATRA, SOME OF US WOULD LIKE TO GET MOVING HERE!'' Came a yell from a soldier in the transport.

Bow and Glimmer gasped, both registering the news

Catra had been executed

Catra was _gone_

''Yes Sir!''

''Hey wait there's a Rebellion arrow in-'' 

Bow and Glimmer began shooting halfheartedly, The soldiers shot back as two more of them joined the fight. It was a good five minutes of fighting before they scrambled away and retreated back to the Fright Zone.

''Glimmer, you don't think- Scorpia... she couldn't have..'' Bow was still in complete shock

''No'' Glimmer shook her head ''There's no way''

The two rushed into the transport to complete their task of searching it, the idea of Catra being dead still not registering in their minds

Bow gasped as he saw Catra's headband fallen between the crates, clearly stained with dry blood _Catra's_ blood.

Glimmer's eyes widened an unbelievable amount as she saw it, she rushed to pick it up and see if it was real. A tear left the corner of Bow's eye, he fell to the floor, trying to collect himself

''Scorpia must've left it when she asked about the shipments...'' Glimmer tried to keep calm and think logically.

''Why would they even...She did everything for them! She-She didn't deserve that!'' Bow was going hysterical. 

''Bow, there was nothing we could've done, we didn't know'' She placed the mask on one of the crates, making sure it was secure and not hidden away. 

The two sat together for a few minutes, trying to take everything in, Bow's tracker pad ''Ding'ed'' again. They opened it to see another message

**Adora : Team A is clear! We'll see you guys back at camp to celebrate**

They stared the message and then at each other, thinking the same thing

* * *

Scorpia walked into her quarters with a tray full of ration bars, the door shut and locked behind her.

''Soooo, how's my Wildcat doing?'' She asked as she peered under the blanket

''Would it kill you not to be so loud?'' Catra complained

''Sorry, sorry, I just- I'm glad you're okay, that whole death-faking thing was hard to pull off'' Scorpia said as she handed Catra a bar ''How's your arm?''

''S'fine'' Catra grumbled as she sat up, blood still oozing from whatever bandages covered the massive cut on her arm

''Please never do that to yourself again, kay?'' Scorpia said quietly ''It sounded a little to real for comfort''

Catra looked at Scorpia softly for a moment before taking the bar and chewing.

''So what're we gonna do now?'' She tried to initiate

'' _You_ are gonna stay in the Horde and continue your position, _I'm_ gonna make my own way after getting outta here'' Catra stated strictly before sighing ''I don't need to take you down with me'' 

Scorpia opened her mouth for a second before she heard the distinct sound of metal creaking in her room

''That probably won't work'' Entrapta smiled as she swung down from the vents. Catra jumped out of her skin

''Wait YOU TOLD HER?!?!?!'' She yelled

Scorpia motioned her to be quiet ''Okay, one, she wanted in and was gonna make sure it stayed a secret, she didn't want you to die either, two, there's no way we can fake a death without her easily realizing it was fake'' 

''You two still did a good job, The blood spattering was very believable though you didn't have to cut your arm that deep, are you sure I can't take a look at it?'' Entrapta pushed as Catra backed away

''Did you at least remember to plant the mask?'' Catra panicked

''I...Might've forgotten it at the transport?'' Scorpia grinned sheepishly

''Scorpia, if I get out of here alive, you're dead the next time I see you'' She growled

''So where are we gonna go once we escape?'' Scorpia asked Entrapta

''Good question, I was thinking the Rebellion, it's the safest place for you to be, you can get back at Hordak for trying to kill you, I'm sure they'll still let me work with tech and they won't have a problem with Scorpia'' Entrapta listed the reasons

''The Rebellion? _We_? What makes you guys think you're coming too? I already told you, I can make my own way'' Catra argued

''Entrapta's right'' Scorpia put her foot down ''We're not gonna stay here and let you go in your condition, plus, what good is the Horde if my favorite Wildcat isn't in it?''

''Yeah, and the Princesses didn't mean to abandon me but Hordak did mean to kill one of my friends so I'm not gonna help him anymore'' Entrapta said proudly

Catra was almost touched at their words before remembering her hatred for the Rebellion ''There's no way I'm letting Adora or any of those Princesses act like they were right all along'' She reminded them spitefully ''They might take you in but I'll be tossed into a prison the moment I get to Brightmoon''

''If I remember correctly, Brightmoon doesn't have any prisons'' Entrapta told her

''And we'll vouch for you, I'm sure it won't be that bad'' Scorpia encouraged

Catra shrunk into herself, the last thing she wanted was to see Adora's face after putting up her facade for so long. It was so dumb, so ironic, she had every reason in the world to ridicule Catra, to laugh at her in front of her new friends, to toss her in a prison and insult her as she rotted away. And yet, a small part of her almost wanted to see Adora again, was even looking forward to it, she hated herself for it.

''It'll be another Super Pal Trio field trip!'' Scorpia jumped up before turning to Catra expectantly ''Right Catra?''

Catra stared down for a few seconds before muttering ''fine''

''YES'' Scorpia nearly pulled her into a hug

''Scorpia, watch the arm'' Catra growled, reminded of the massive wound she'd inflicted on herself to make her 'death' believable

Entrapta squealed as they finalized the plan, they were finally getting out of here, they were finally escaping

* * *

''THAT WAS AWESOME!!!'' Adora yelled as she pumped her fist in the air ''Did you guys see it? It actually worked!''

''I think Spinny and I saw enough for a lifetime'' Netossa smirked as Spinerella helped carry her back to camp

Adora immediately bowed her head in shame ''Oh right, sorry Netossa, I didn't mean to take so long''

''It's all good, we know you're still getting the hang of the sword-transforming thing'' she grunted

''And we're very proud of you for what you've done so far'' Spinerella gave a warm smile

''Netossa!'' Came a yell from Perfuma as she darted over to them

''Perfuma, we're good'' She tried to calm her as Perfuma surveyed their injuries

''That- does not look good'' Frosta remarked as she approached ''Do you guys need some ice for that?'' snow was already swirling into her hand

''That'd be great, Frosta'' Spinerella responded as Perfuma sat them both down

''So how many did you guys take out?'' Mermista asked as she left the tent they'd set up

''eight, beat that'' Adora smirked

''Chill, I bet Bow and Glimmer took out way more once we combine them with ours'' She reminded her

''That is so uncool'' Netossa hissed as Perfuma cleaned her wound ''Totally unfair''

''Uh It isn't unfair when you have the 'Mighty She-Ra' on your side'' Mermista clapped back, ''Plus they got the small path so they didn't even take out that many''

''Hey! I'm still learning, it shouldn't count if I'm still learning'' Adora tried 

''Could you two not disturb the peace?'' Perfuma shushed them as she worked on Netossa's injuries

''Whatever'' Mermista drawled ''I'm just waiting for Glimmer and Bow to get here so I can win''

''You cannot-''

''Glimmer!'' Frosta yelled happily as Glimmer and Bow made their way into the campsite.

''Hi Frosta'' Glimmer replied as she hugged her.

She and Bow had agreed to ease Adora into the news by taking her back to the site. They knew she didn't react well and the last thing they wanted to do was break the news to her in front of the alliance. The bloodstained mask still lay inside the transport, it was probably all that was left of Catra, they figured Adora would want it after learning what happened. 

''Everything good on your end?'' Mermista asked eagerly ''How many did you take out?''

''Around four'' Bow counted

Mermista jumped in the air ''YES! Suck it Adora!'' 

Adora facepalmed ''This isn't even fair I bet I could take more out then you one on one'' she stopped ''Wait, four? That can't be right they were scheduled-''

''I KNEW she was counting!'' Frosta accused as Mermista gasped

''It's just like in Mer-Mystery : The Rigging Octopus....'' Adora tuned her out as she thought

''We should move out and start more interception, Catra might be planning something with the unscheduled transports'' She planned, she needed to outsmart Catra this time, she needed to be one step ahead

Both Bow and Glimmer felt pangs of pain in their hearts as Adora casually mentioned Catra's name, it was hard to stomach even that with knowledge of what happened. 

''Queen Angella needs to hear about the victory too We shou- Are you guys even listening to me?'' Adora was standing in front of them now

''I- Adora we-'' Bow began solemnly, but he couldn't bring himself to say it

''Did something happen during the mission?'' Adora pushed

''You guys go back and brief mom on the mission, okay? Adora...can you come with us?'' Glimmer tried to keep it together as she addressed the Alliance but her voice broke 

The Alliance understood the seriousness of the situation and didn't press them on it. Mermista nodded as they began dismantling the campsite and Spinerella hauled Netossa up again

''I- um- Okay?'' She responded as Glimmer and Bow headed into the woods

* * *

''So what exactly happened out there?'' Adora asked as she weaved between the trees

''We got some...news from the Horde'' Glimmer explained

''Okay, good news or bad news?'' she asked casually

Bow came to a stop, still unable to stomach it. Adora caught some tears glistening in his eyes and decided not to push either of them on it.

''Why are we here?'' she asked as the broken down transport vehicle came into view.

''Adora...'' Bow began ''We found out...Sh-Shadow Weaver escaped the Horde and-''

''Wait she escaped? We need to find her, she's way too dangerous-'' Adora began

''Adora, she _escaped_ '' she repeated ''you know who was in charge of her right?'' Glimmer's voice had hardened as she tried to say it, but she couldn't bring herself to, she hated this so much.

That was Catra, it was common knowledge that a high alert prisoner would be given to the Second in Command. But why would that matte-

Adora's eyes widened. If Catra lost Shadow Weaver, she'd be punished and the Punsment-

**_No_ **

It was the same punishment, always the same, she'd heard of it happening, she knew Shadow Weaver often witnessed it for Hordak with lower scale prisoners.

 _ **Execution**_.

She dashed into the vehicle. not asking the other two any more, she didn't know if it was to stall herself from getting a clear answer or if it was to find said answer faster, but she ran in at full speed. Glimmer followed her, forcing herself to go on as Bow stood guard outside.

Adora's eyes darted around the compartment until they landed on the bloodstained red mask on a crate.

Her heart stopped, her eyes widened, No _nononononononono_

She ran forward, grasping the cold, metallic mask in her trembling hands. Her pupils shrunk as she saw the stains of blood all over it.

_it couldn't have been her, it **couldn't**_

''Glimmer....'' She said so softly and quietly as her throat felt like it was constricted. She looked to her for any, _any_ sign that it wasn't what she thought it was

''Adora...'' Glimmer started, tears falling from her own eyes ''I'm sorry... She's gone....''

And Adora's entire body seemed to have a massive weight thrown onto it in that moment. The confirmation that Catra was gone hitting her harder than anyone anticipated.

_(Angella Narrating) ''When a She Ra grieves''_

She couldn't see anything but the mask, she couldn't breathe, her chest was constricting in on itself. Her lips trembled as small, cracked, gasps left her throat, her eyes still fixed on the object laying in her shaking hands. _I promised her I'd be there, **I promised**_

_''Her very soul threatens to collapse in on itself''_

She fell to her knees. Her knuckles white as she gripped the mask tighter, her face had contorted into one of pain, her eyes bulging as she struggled to take a breath. She was hyperventilating, small cries escaping her lips. _I left her, I left her alone to **die**_

_''Her entire being is lost within an endless world of despair''_

She was holding something in that she didn't realize she was. _She's gone, she's gone **forever** and there's nothing I can do about it_. Her eyes pried away from the mask as her breaths became heavier, she looked up. And gave out a heart wrenching scream.

It shook the entire area to its core, Glimmer fell back as she tried to steady herself, the sheer volume nearly making her collapse on the ground.

_''Her magic reflects her mentality in that moment, it drowns others the way it drowns her''_

Adora screamed again and again, it felt like emptying her lungs and chest as she mourned. A powerful yellow fire erupted in a circle, surrounding her so Glimmer couldn't get any closer. It spread more and more with every cry she let out.

_''It leads to chaos and destruction''_

Glimmer spotted her among the dancing flames, her body was hunched over as she dissolved into loud wails and sobs. The tears mixed with the dried blood as they dripped down from the mask to her jacket and pants, the stains softened as if they'd been submerged in water. Adora's body jerked with each sob she let out, the fires around her spread

_''She loses herself in the midst of her pain''_

The last thing Glimmer saw before she backed out through the door was Adora slowly changing. Her hair came undone, her clothes began oozing with the color red, the runestone of the sword had lost its blue luster. It was like she was transforming, but in the wrong way.

_''She is a danger to anyone and anything around her''_

''Glimmer! What's going on?!?'' Bow yelled as the fires left the vehicle. 

''Bow, we can't stay here, we need shelter until the fires die down''

''What about Adora?!?'' He yelled as he stared back into the small structure

''Bow...Adora's the one causing this...''

_''And she is a danger to_ _herself''_

A particularly loud shriek erupted from within the vehicle as the fires made it explode. Glimmer and Bow ducked as flaming pieces of metal rained on the surrounding area, Adora was still crying like she'd been hurt to the point of death, they couldn't see her within the fire anymore. 

''We- we need to make sure the fires don't spread'' Glimmer tried to remain on task as Bow already started digging a fire break. Adora's shrieks kept playing in the background as the two tried to concentrate on their task.

''We need to be here when it stops'' Bow stated ''She's gonna need us, and she'll need to know she didn't hurt anyone'' He paused as he heard her dissolve into heart wrenching sobs, he wished there was something he could do to help but the fires told him he couldn't.

Glimmer and Bow had been working for hours when the fire began to finally recede, Adora's sobs were starting to die down as well. They rushed in the moment they could to comfort her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, but the person they saw in the middle of the fires was not Adora.

She-Ra's outfit had gone a painfully dark red, her runestone shifting to the same color. Her usually beautiful blonde hair now emanating a more threatening energy. Massive tear streaks decorated her cheeks as her bloodshot eyes stared down at them. A permanent frown was etched upon her face, as if she was ready to snap and kill someone any second. She looked insane, almost maniacal.

_''She is a force of rage, grief, guilt and regret, with infinite power at her hands''_

She looked down at a quivering Bow ''Adora...'' he began ''It's us...'' he reached out, but Adora jerked away as if the touch would burn her more than the flames. 

She was silent for a moment before her body started jerking with a maniacal crying, tears still streaming down her face as powerful breathes racked her frame. She held her head in her hands as her expression went from a frown to an insane grin and then to a frown again. She bent down to pick up the mask.

''I did this to her...'' she said breathlessly, a sob escaping her lips as she stared at the blood.

''No, no you didn't it was the Horde, Adora. _They_ did this to her'' Glimmer didn't want her to blame herself more then she already did. It seemed to only make things much worse.

_''They did this to her''_ Adora repeated, her mood shifted immediately, her head seemed to snap up as her eyes fixated on a random spot far away from the rest of them

_someone had done this to her_

_someone had murdered her in cold blood_

_someone had heard her last words, watched her dying breath_

_someone in the Fright Zone had **killed** her_

She stepped even further back, grabbing the mask in one hand and the sword in the other. She looked down at the blade, the tainted red of the runestone corrupting it, it was easy, _so easy_. She looked in the direction of the Fright Zone again, _someone in there was going to **pay**_.

_''When a She-Ra grieves, her heart is broken to a point where it cannot be mended, only sustained by bloodshed and revenge''_

* * *

''Okay, I've got it all mapped out'' Catra started ''The transport shipments are gonna arrive at exactly 4am''

''I'll help out with unloading and give the guards a break to sleep, then I'll hack it so it goes offline'' Entrapta cackled

''And I'll hide you in one of the transport crates and get you out before you know it!'' Scorpia smiled

''That's bound to be comfortable'' Catra remarked sarcastically

''I'm sure it won't be that bad, you just gotta make sure it doesn't mess up your arm'' Scorpia leaned forward again but Catra backed away

''Isn't it already messed up? Or are there more injuries I'm not aware of?'' Entrapta asked curiously

Catra sighed for the umpteenth time. This was it, the plan was in motion, they were leaving the Fright Zone...and going to the Rebellion. She felt oddly content with the plans. She obviously dreaded having to go ask the Princesses for help but at the same time, she was hoping the change wouldn't be all too bad, even if they'd have her locked up for the first few days.

''So, is the Super Pal Trio ready for a field trip?'' Scorpia jumped up

''Could you keep it down? I'm kinda supposed to be dead here'' Catra glared in anger

''I'm sure you two will like the Rebellion, they're actually really friendly when we're not in dire situations'' Entrapta smiled at her few fond memories with the Princess Alliance.

They stayed up and talked until it was 3:30 am Scorpia ushered Catra into one of the crates as Entrapta went to get one of the transport vehicles, _this was it._

* * *

Adora burst into the Fright Zone at breakneck speed, sending waves of magic in every direction.

The Horde deployed their guards almost immediately, no one knew why the Rebellion was doing a raid tonight of all nights but they'd sent their most powerful soldier in alone. And she was already wreaking havoc on the area.

Adora jumped effortlessly between them, the magic radiating from her sword easily knocking them away as they retreated

She could feel all the lights turn on as even more guards tried to swarm her, she didn't care. She just wanted to make Hordak and this entire place hurt as much as possible. There was yelling in all directions as the alarms went off, she'd breached the outer buildings and forced them all to come down, she was nearing the main hub.

''ADORA!'' Came a yell from Glimmer as she followed her. Adora dragged her sword through the dirt. ''Adora, please, this isn't you''

''Get out of here, Glimmer'' Adora glared as she neared the purging chambers

''Adora, please, look at me'' She tried holding her hand but Adora pulled it away, running faster. 

A singular guard met them at the entrance, his arms shaking as he raised them in the air, surrendering. Adora raced forward and slammed him against the wall.

''When was the last execution'' She growled as her bloodshot eyes pierced into his

The guard answered shakily ''Y-Y-Yesterday F-Force Captain Scorpia Executed F-Force Captain C-Catra'' 

Adora scowled as she heard the names.

''P-Please, I don't want any trouble, don't kill me-'' 

Glimmer jumped up and teleported him away before facing Adora again. The tears were leaking from Adora's red eyes as she heard another confirmation that Catra was gone.

''Adora, this isn't right-'' She began before she was thrown aside, Adora ran in as the alarms blared in the Purging Chambers

She screamed as she saw blood all over the walls _Catra's_ blood all over the walls. The room seemed to spin around her as she stared at the dry stains. Something in her head felt like it was going to snap as she saw looked at the spot where her best friend last stood. 

She let out another shriek as she brought the whole room down with a wave of her sword

Entrapta rushed back into the halls, Scorpia was pushing a cart with a crate on top of it, trying to move as boldly yet discreetly as possible.

''What happened, did you hack the transport?'' She whispered as she crouched down to Entrapta.

''I had to abandon it'' Entrapta squeaked ''She-Ra showed up and she's blowing stuff up out there''

''WHAT?!?'' Catra pushed up the lid of the crate as her head stuck out

''Catra, stay down, we can't let anyone see you'' Scorpia pushed her head slightly down

''That's not everything, something's wrong with her. She looks like she's been infected by First One's tech but I didn't see any data crystals on her'' Entrapta explained as Catra's eyes went wide

''Y-you mean she's not okay?'' She didn't know why she was worried about Adora now of all times. She guessed she was starting to feel guilty at everything she'd done, or maybe that newfound feeling of freedom made the love she had for Adora come back to the surface after she'd buried it down for so long

''What do mean 'infected '?'' Scorpia questioned further

''I need to run tests and get some data on it, if I could just get close enough-''

_BOOM_

The three ducked for cover as yellow flames covered the room around them, the change was almost instantaneous.

Adora's eyes locked with Scorpia's for a second, as if she was a deer in headlights. 

And then she screamed as she charged at her

''ADORA STOP'' Bow yelled as he stood in front of her ''GLIMMER! GET THEM OUT'' he said as he dodged Adora's sword

''I CAN'T TELEPORT THEM BOTH!'' she reminded him as she tried to hold Adora back.

''STOP IT! STOP IT! GET OFF ME! SHE HAS TO PAY, SHE HAS T-'' Adora screamed as Glimmer wrapped an arm around her and Teleported all the way to the other side of the Fright Zone, she teleported back a split second later before Adora would realize what had happened

''We...don't have...time'' she panted ''Scorpia, you need to get out of here''

''What?'' Scorpia was extremely confused

''She's not gonna stop until she kills you, you need to leave'' Bow told her strictly

''Me? Why would Adora wanna kill me?'' She stepped closer but Glimmer stepped back as if she was disgusted by her

Her voice hardened as she glared ''you really think everything's gonna go back to normal after what you did yesterday?''

''What did I even-'' 

Bow sighed ''Look, we know Catra was our enemy but she didn't deserve what _you_ did to her, and now Adora-''

''Can someone please tell me what's going on out here?'' Catra complained, poking her head out of the crate

Bow and Glimmer stared in shock for a moment before yelling ''YOU'RE ALIVE!?!??!?!''

Catra scoffed ''It'd take alot more than that to kill me, Sparkles, now spill on what's going on with Adora'' she seemed a little less snarky as she added that last part

Glimmer seemed livid as she groaned ''Of course you're alive, it's just like you to mess Adora up the way you have and then show up again like nothing happened'' she pointed at Catra as she tried to control her anger.

''Wait, what did this have to do with messing Adora up?'' Entrapta asked curiously

Bow sighed ''Catra, she thinks you're dead''

Catra's mood seemed to change completely at the statement. Her usually snarky and unbothered demeanor faltering ''She thinks I'm- How did she even-''

''Uh, I don't know, maybe the mask with the blood all over it? Or maybe it was all the Horde soldiers talking about the Second in Command's execution?'' Glimmer said hysterically, wanting to punch Catra in the face for what it had lead Adora to.

''Whatever, I was just making my way out, I didn't ask for the Sparkle Brigade to do a raid tonight of all nights'' She immediately resumed her sarcastic behavior

''We're not even doing a raid!'' Glimmer shot back angrily

''Then why are you even here!?!?'' Catra yelled

Everyone went silent as they heard more commotion outside, it was slowly getting louder and louder, making its way closer to them.

''There's no time'' Bow reminded them ''What's the best hiding spot in the Fright Zone?'' He cringed as he heard Adora cut through the metallic walls, she was nearly here. 

''Follow me'' Entrapta commanded as she flipped into a vent

''Catra, you think you can-'' Scorpia started

''I'm fine'' Catra answered simply as she got up to reveal her bad arm, Glimmer and Bow felt pangs of sympathy as some blood seeped through her bandages. One by one, they all climbed into the vents, hoping to remain hidden as they heard Adora scowl at not finding them.

''So why are you two here?'' Catra questioned ''And why is Adora suddenly crazy again? I thought you guys destroyed that disc thing''

Glimmer scoffed again ''You're never gonna get it, are you? You ever thought your actions might have some kind of consequences?'' She lectured

''I didn't fake my death because of you guys, I did it to avoid actually dying'' She snapped, trying not to claw at Glimmer for her behavior

''Catra, we're not mad at you for trying to stay alive, but Adora- she...she lost it when she heard'' Bow explained

''She...what?'' Catra looked as if she'd been slapped in the face. Entrapta finally came to a stop in front of them

''This is the most wide part of the vent ducts, it makes for a good hiding spot, Emily showed it to me when you guys thought I'd been burned alive'' She seemed proud as she introduced the place to them

''Wow, I gotta hand it to you Entrapta, if this place can fit a Scorpion like me, it's Perfect'' Scorpia mused as she crawled to find a good spot to catch her breath

Catra rubbed her good arm in what seemed like shame ''...so, how did Adora find out?''

Glimmer glared at her again ''We heard the goons talking about how you'd been executed, and then we found your mask with blood all over it in the transport''

Catra shot an angry look at Scorpia, who seemed a little dumbfounded at what she caused, nonetheless, they listened on

Glimmer's demeanor faltered as she recounted the rest ''We brought her there after a while and tried to break the news to her, but she saw your mask and she...started crying, I've never seen her cry before'' She paused to clear her throat. Catra felt like her heart was breaking a little at hearing that Adora had cried over her.

''I think she's suffering from-'' She put up air quotes ''-She-Ra's grief, it's a thing my mom told me abou-''

''Ohhhhh that makes sense'' Entrapta contemplated as the group turned to her in confusion ''I figured it out awhile ago, but I wanted to run more tests, She-Ra's grief is the only thing that can account for the crazy behavior, yellow fires, irrationality, changed outfit.'' she listed them off as Catra's heart sank even more ''I'm guessing she went into it when she thought Catra was dead, and she's now going after Scorpia since she thinks she killed her, correct?''

Glimmer nodded quietly

''So what's gonna happen to her?'' Catra asked shakily

''According to the data I've found on it, with the path she's on, she'll probably lose complete control and destroy herself and the entire Fright Zone in her own heartbreak''

Catra's eyes widened an unbelievable amount ''You mean she...'' She trailed off, unwilling to accept that such a thing could happen, she held her head in her hands ''this is all my fault''

''Oh so _now_ you realize it'' Glimmer muttered under her breath

''We can either escape right now before she brings the whole place down or try confronting her'' Entrapta paused ''But she can easily kill any person who tries to reason with her, soon she'll be at a point where she's so drowned in her own pain that no one can reach out to her, not even the one she's grieving about''

The group was in complete shock at the possibility of losing Adora. They each needed a small moment to collect themselves and figure out what to do. Glimmer and Bow both wrapped an arm around each other, Scorpia buried her head in her claws in her own guilt at being a part of this, Entrapta started calculating the odds of getting through to Adora and Catra sat, wide eyed in her own heartbreak in realizing what she'd done to Adora

It was fitting, wasn't it? That the only time she decides to take a bold step, escape the Horde and go to a better life is also the only time she can lose the person she loves most for good. It's like even when she tries to do the right thing, the universe throws another punch to her face and she has nothing to blame but herself for it.

Bow looked down ''She's already too far gone to listen to us'' he turned to Catra ''But she might listen to you, Catra, are you gonna be fine with confronting her?''

Catra's ears perked up immediately

Glimmer sighed ''Bow's right'' she said almost matter-of-factly ''You're probably the only person who can reach out to her, we already tried and failed, she'll kill us if we try again'' 

She looked down, the was so wrong so _stupid_ so unfair to Adora. She'd done nothing but try to kill her for so long, and now she was the only one preventing Adora from going away forever. She hadn't talked to her as a friend for almost a year and a half, all they'd ever done was fight, how was she supposed to reach out to her when she was falling apart.

She heard another shriek from outside

''She really needs me?'' She turned to Bow pleadingly

He nodded

She turned away ''Then fine, I'll do it''

''You better not make anything worse'' Glimmer growled aggressively, she still wasn't too keen on trusting Catra.

''We'll try deflecting any attacks and keeping the fires down so you can reach her'' Bow readied his water arrows

''I'll be there the whole time, Wildcat'' Scorpia joined Bow and Glimmer

''I'll man the security systems in case we need to close her off for awhile'' Entrapta planned quickly ''All you need to do is get to her and try to communicate with her before she's too far gone''

Catra looked up again ''Well, I die if I leave and I die of I stay, might as well die trying'' she mentally prepared herself

''Let's do this''

* * *

The three of them surrounded Catra as they tried to power through the complete mess the Fright Zone had become, Adora really hadn't pulled any punches.

She vaguely saw Hordak staggering away from his sanctum, too injured to fight, but still able to hide, she didn't acknowledge him as he went to seek refuge in one of the many secret areas of the Fright Zone. 

''She's at the sanctum'' Entrapta said through the intercoms as she manned the controls ''I'm putting in some defenses to keep her busy, but you better hurry''

The group seemed to close itself around Catra even more, dreading the time they'd have to break away to keep Adora busy

The door to the sanctum had been blown off, yellow and regular fires littering it, Hordak had clearly attempted to take Adora down and been completely overpowered. Catra would've smirked in triumph had she not been preoccupied by the girl standing in the middle of the flames.

She hadn't gotten a good look at Adora before but seeing this new one was terrifying. It was as if she had gone completely dark, her normally silky white outfit now matted with red, the shining gold armor now dented an beaten. The shining blue of her runestone replaced with an infected crimson. Her knuckles white as she grasped a very recognizable mask in her hand. What scared Catra the most was her face, her expression, the deadly look in her eyes. There were massive tear streaks running down her face, eyes were bloodshot, her mouth was in a perpetual frown.

She wasn't looking at her Adora anymore, her Adora was nearly gone, all that remained was the pain and sorrow Catra's loss had put her in. She let out ragged breaths as she prowled around the area, searching for the next member of the Horde to take down. _What had she done to her_?

And then her eyes locked on Scorpia

Adora charged over and began to chase her, Glimmer and Bow following close behind. Catra stood, dumbfounded as the group separated, Bow and Glimmer shouting words into the air in an effort to still reach her.

''She's alive, Adora! She's okay!'' they tried but Adora kept charging, the real her couldn't hear them anymore

Bow started shooting his net arrows in an effort to hold her back, Glimmer used her magic to defend while Scorpia used her claws to pat out the fires. 

Catra scurried over to her, but her words died in her throat as she saw Adora, before she knew it, she'd been punched into a wall.

''Catra! You need to get closer to her'' Entrapta shouted through the lagging intercom as the other struggled to tire Adora out. Glimmer and Bow were jumping between parts of the room, trying to keep Adora on her feet as she swiveled around to find them.

And then she started using magic

With a yell she hurled a ball of energy at Scorpia, who collided into a wall and was knocked out. Entrapta left the controls to try to get her away from there

''Adora'' Glimmer panted ''Please, we know you're still in there'' she clutched her bruised ribs as she caved and fell to the ground.

Bow defended her until he could carry them both away. The group was defeated

Catra got up to see the rest of them on the floor, breathing heavily. Bow and Glimmer were huddled together as they lay against the wall, Entrapta was attempting to discreetly drag Scorpia away from the area. The room looked even more messed up than it was before, small yellow fires still littering it between the small piles of rubble created by the fight.

Adora stood alone, panting as she stared down at what she'd done

Catra breathed in an out as she looked at her

She took a few shaky steps forward, Adora stepped back

''Adora...'' she started shakily as she neared her. Adora was in a battle stance, the slightest disturbance and she'd strike Catra down, nonetheless, Catra inched closer to her. ''Adora...It's me''

She didn't break eye contact, unwilling to fall back in fear again.

''Just, look at me, okay?'' Adora tried to shift her eyes away, Catra cupped her face in her hands, making sure they kept eye contact. Adora's grip tightened on her sword but she didn't strike, almost leaning into Catra's touch.

''Everything's gonna be okay, Adora, just stay with me'' Adora was looking down at her in fear now, as if she didn't know what was going on and was silently asking for help.

Catra rubbed the tear streaks off her cheeks with her thumbs, trying to somehow take away the burden on Adora's heart. Her piercing red eyes seemed panicked, yet focused, Catra hoped she was doing something right.

''Just follow my voice, kay? I've got you, I'm right here'' Adora started taking short, rapid breaths, the red slowly receding from her eyes. 

Catra moved forward so she and Adora were closer together, her head tilting up as she stood on her tip toes to somehow reach the height of the eight foot tall figure. She held her gaze as Adora's eyes started to gain back a sliver of blue.

''I'm right here'' Catra repeated as Adora froze up again, her body began to glow, almost blinding Catra with the sheer amount of magic there. The fires began to burn out despite the fact that no one was stopping them. 

Bow, Glimmer, Scorpia and Entrapta braced themselves as Adora began to glow, they exchanged worried looks as Catra still didn't let go of the figure, determined to hold Adora no matter how much the magic would burn her skin or blind her eyes.

The light eventually dimmed, leaving a de-transformed Adora in its wake. She looked up at Catra, who was still cupping her face, in horror. Her eyes simply asking the question _is it really you?_

''Adora?'' Catra asked quietly ''Adora, it's okay, it's okay'' She tried to comfort her as she saw the fear etched on her face 

A fresh batch of tears gathered in Adora's eyes as she slumped forward, wrapping her arms around Catra and holding her as if to protect her. Her grasp was firm, yet desperate, she was scared that if she let go, the spell would break and she'd be alone again, she wouldn't be able to protect Catra again.

Before she knew it, she was sobbing again, both her sword and the mask clattering to the ground as she pressed her palms to Catra's small, fragile body. Sobbing uncontrollably as she did so

Catra hadn't seen Adora this vulnerable in years. She'd never been as good as Catra at hiding her pain but _crying?_ And even that, in the arms of a person she had been fighting for the past year and a half? 

She guessed _she_ was no one to talk, after all, this was the first time she'd been loving and compassionate to a person in years, and at the same time, she knew she was holding Adora for comfort too, fighting her own tears at the same time.

It was all so unfamiliar, yet also the thing they knew best how to do. Catra softly comforted her as she broke down, tears cascading from her eyes as her entire body still jerked with every cry. Catra held her all the same.

''How are you-'' Adora asked breathlessly but she was cut off

''I faked it'' Catra answered simply as she cradled the shaking girl in her arms ''I'm sorry, I should've done something to tell you I was okay, I didn't think you knew, I...'' she trailed off, debating weather to give the other reason or not. ''I didn't think you'd care...''

Adora held her closer at the comment. She could think of a million things to say to Catra right now to express how much she really did care about her, but she was just content with holding her as closely as possible right now

And then the rest of the world came back into focus

Adora seemed to stiffen as she saw the beating the room she was in had taken. She looked down at her hands, which were still pressed to Catra's back, withdrawing them as she saw the damage she'd done.

She started to breathe heavily again ''Did I...''

Catra tightened her grip on her in an instant ''Don't worry, you Sparkles and the Arrow boy made sure you didn't kill anyone'' 

''But I- you...'' Adora became even more horrified as the memory of hurting her friends, of hurting _Catra_ came back to her.

''I'm gonna be fine, I've done worse to you even without the crazy She-Ra problem'' She reminded her as her own voice broke, there was still so much she had to take back.

Adora sniffled again, she wanted to pull away, she didn't want to risk hurting Catra again but something made her want to cling onto her for as long as possible. 

''Adora!'' Bow and Glimmer yelled in unison as they limped over to her. 

She pulled herself away as she heard the pain in her friends voices

''Oh my...Bow, Glimmer, I'm so sorry, I-'' She was cut off as the two of them went in for a hug

''We're just glad you're okay'' Bow rasped, glad that the nightmare was finally over

They looked at Catra for a second, ushering her in ''You're the one who saved her'' he said quietly as he held his hand out, Catra took it without a second thought, holding Adora closely again while she was surrounded by the people she loved.

''Guys...I am so, so sorry'' Her voice cracked as she tried to get the words out

''It's okay'' Glimmer pulled away to look at her ''It's not your fault'' She decided on explaining the whole 'grief' thing once Adora had calmed down. ''We'll talk about it later, right now, we need to get out of here''

Scorpia groaned as she made her way to them as well ''There's still a free empty transport outside, it's much safer then a skiff''

Adora's eyes widened as she saw Scorpia's injuries ''Scorpia...I-''

''Don't worry about it, my rock hard exoskeleton's to take any hit, even from She-Ra'' she joked before wincing ''Besides, I'm the muscle, I can handle this'' She talked almost leisurely, just relieved that it was all over

As they all regrouped and pulled away, an unspoken question remained between them 

''So where are you guys going?'' Glimmer asked tentatively

Entrapta spoke up ''Well, we already planned on defecting to the Rebellion, the data I've gathered says that you guys will be fine with it, I just need clearance from Catra and-''

''Catra?'' Adora asked almost immediately ''Are you...''

Catra looked at her again, she was still in a lot of pain, she needed to stick to the plan, she needed to be there for her, and she decided she did want to get back at Hordak. ''You're not gonna stop bothering me if I leave, are you?'' She smirked at Adora, she was just happy to have the real her back. ''Fine, but it's not because I like you''

To her surprise, Adora pulled her into another hug ''Wow, they really made you a softy, didn't they?'' She smiled as she rubbed Adora's back, thankful that they could hold each other again.

''If you guys can promise you won't do anything dumb, I'll vouch for you'' Glimmer offered, she already vouched for Adora, she hoped her mother would listen with these people too.

They piled into the transport one by one. Adora immediately sinking to the floor. Scorpia placed the sword and mask down next to her.

She hadn't stopped holding Catra's hand since they left, desperate to stay as close to her as possible. Catra sunk to the floor next to her, Adora's head drooped onto her shoulder almost immediately. ''Get some rest, Princess'' She said softly, wrapping her arms around her middle and bringing her closer.

Adora would take a long time to heal, but maybe, just maybe, with Catra now at her side, she'd make it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm definitely gonna continue on ALL my other stories soon, but since school is a thing, I'm sticking to one chapter stuff until the inspiration hits


End file.
